


The Witness: I saw the devil

by MissIronLadyIW



Category: Adelaide Clemens, British Actor RPF, Driver No One Lives, Jeffrey Dean Morgan - Fandom, Luke Evans - Fandom, No One Lives (2012), Tom Hiddleston - Fandom, lily collins - Fandom
Genre: Action, Confrontations, Multi, Murder, Mystery, Thriller
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-18
Updated: 2016-11-18
Packaged: 2018-08-31 16:05:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8585002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissIronLadyIW/pseuds/MissIronLadyIW
Summary: SYNOPSIS: Set after the events of the movie ‘No One Lives’. A woman witnesses the murder of fourteen teens, and the abduction of the heiress Emma Ward. A few months after Emma is recovered, Mara is requested to help with the investigations and identify who the killer is, as Emma is too traumatised to do so. However, she then discovers that the killer is now closer, smarter and faster than she thought, as it is none other than her new doctor. Which only makes things worse as it will only be a matter of time till he discovers who she really is. Can she put the killer behind bars and finally free Emma of the fear? or will he get to her first and kill her?





	

_**WARNING: Graphic Depiction of Violence** _

Cast:  
Driver/ The Doctor/ Dr.Wolfe - Luke Evans  
Mara Sterling - OC ( Lily Collins Face Claim)  
Emma Ward - Adelaide Clemens  
Detective Thomas Bishop - Tom Hiddleston          
Detective Jeffrey Marple - Jeffrey Dean Morgan

 

 

 

  


 

* * *

 

  _ **The Witness  
**__I saw the devil_

It started out as a quiet evening for Mara. Earlier that day, she was invited by Emma and her friends to join their celebration, as a way of thanking her for fixing their laptops. Besides, she lives just right opposite from the place where they will hold their celebration. 

Working for the university as the IT support, people knew her as the ‘IT’ girl whom people claim as someone who could ‘solve everything’. From corrupted files, recovery of deleted documents, virus attacks to motherboard issues, etc... it was always her, who students run to. Well, she pretty much doesn't have a choice, as all support issues are often directed to her by her boss. 

“Mara? are you coming tonight?” Emma stood opposite the counter of the IT department, waiting for her reply. 

“I’m not sure, but I’ll try alright? My boss might not let me go early today...” she reasoned. She also knew that Emma wants her to go to the party, so she could set up the whole sound system. 

“Oh come on... it’s the end of the semester.” Emma reasoned out.

“I’ll try, alright?” she smiled.

“Don’t be late, if you do, there’s a penalty! A bottle of fruit punch!”  Emma teased.

Mara chuckled. “Make that four bottles, I’m not so sure how late I’ll be anyways...” she said, just indulging her. Emma smiles, delighted to hear her offer. The heiress almost takes ‘no’ for an answer, might as well just give way to her.

“Alright then! see you later!” Emma says gleefully as she leaves the IT office. 

********** 

As they say; _“Dressing well is a form of good manners”._ So she dressed in smart casual;  Blue blouse, leather jacket, grey khakis and silver flats, and blow dried her short shoulder length hair. 

 

 

 

  


 

 

 

However, when she arrived at the place, she couldn’t be more disappointed with everyone, seeing that they were all wearing very casual clothes. 

“Teenagers today...” Mara shook her head and couldn’t help but complain that some teenagers don’t have a sense of etiquette.

“Hey, Mara! Looking good!” Kyle, one of Emma’s friends greeted, upon seeing her. She looked to find him struggling in assembling the sound system.

“Shut up Kyle!” she said, causing the boy to chuckle.

The boy step aside, letting her do all the work, while he sat nearby and opened the bottle of fizzy drink that she had brought.

“Where’s Emma?” she asked, still not seeing the person who invited her in the first place.

“Oh you know, she’s behind, flirting with some other guy...” Kyle said, sounding jealous.

“Other guy? you invited other people?” she said, glancing around for any new face, and then turned back to him “Wait... are you actually jealous that Emma is talking to that guy?” she said cocking a brow.

“No...” He quickly denied her statement, and she got back to continue setting up everything.

 After she finished her task, she was then approached by another boy by the name of Shane. 

“Uhhmm... Mara... I’m sorry we’ve got no ice, is it alright if you do a quick run to the store?” he asked, and both boys looked at her expectantly. It appears that she would babysit everyone in this party.

With a sigh, Mara stretches out her hand. “Car keys!” 

The boy smiled and handed her his car keys. “Can you add pizza along too? please?” 

“You organise a party and you don’t have all these things?” she said, her eyes widened in disbelief on how irresponsible these teenagers were.

“You’re the best Mara!” Kyle says acting chummy.

Mara hits Kyle shoulder, and he cries playfully. “Behave yourselves while I’m gone!” she tells them, as she walked to the front door.

“Yes, Mom!” Shane teased.

********** 

The pizza had to wait thirty minutes before she could take it away, and the ice pack had to be bought after to prevent it from melting. Besides that, the car broke down half a kilometre away, causing her to walk back to the house, carrying the items she had purchased. Which is why she returned a little later than the expected time. 

The sun had already set, and if she wasn’t so familiar with the place, she would’ve been very scared to walk by herself. When she finally saw the house from a distance, she couldn’t help but feel there was something wrong. There was no music playing loud, no teenagers horseplaying and doing stupid things, nor were there other people coming in and out of the door. Everything was strangely quiet.

She slowly approached the place, and almost died of shock when someone had grabbed her ankle, causing her to drop all the things she was carrying.

Her eyes widened in disbelief upon seeing a familiar face, bathing in a pool of blood.

“Kyle!!! who did this to you?!!!” she said, pulling the boy close to her, and took out her handkerchief, performing a first-aid to try and stop the bleeding. Sweat beaded her forehead, as fear took over her.

“H-help... H-help... H-help Emma...” the boy struggled to say.

It was then that she remembered Emma, she then sat Kyle against the tree, and instructed him to press the handkerchief hard against the stab wound.

Running to the front door and inside the house, she stopped in her tracks, upon seeing the scene before her. Bodies drowned in pools of blood, each looked like they were stabbed, shot, decapitated, skinned alive, etc... all killed in the most gruesome way. She wanted to throw up right on the spot but stopped, as she heard footsteps coming from upstairs. 

_**Call 911** _

She pulled out her phone and began to dial the emergency hotline, as she hid outside, and watched through the window who it was descending down the staircase. 

 _ **“911 where’s your emergency?”**_ the operator answered, giving her some sort of relief.

“There’s a murderer....”She then whispers the address of the house, whilst starting to tear up. “Hurry, please...”

_**“I need you to calm down one second Ma’am... I need you to calm down..”** _

“Oh my gosh...” her eyes widened in disbelief upon seeing Emma, fall down the stairs and struggled to get up. Afterwards, a dark figure followed, descending down the staircase.

The room was dimly lit, but she was still able to see the face of the ‘killer’. 

“What is it?”

“Oh my gosh... I... I saw him... I saw his face” she stopped herself from crying, afraid that any sound she could make, might be heard by the murderer.

_**“I need you to calm down Ma’am and remember his face. Do me a favour, I need you to quickly hide, is there a closet? or a bed nearby?”** _

“No... No... I’m outside, in the woods, I’m watching from the outside. Hurry please... hurry” 

 _ **“I’ve got everybody coming. Just do me a favour and calm down. I need you to hide in the dark, undetected and talk softly so he wouldn’t hear you.”**_ the dispatcher encouraged, repeating the same thing she had told her earlier.

_**“Do you know if anyone is being hurt, ma’am?”** _

“Y-yes... my friend... Kyle, he was stabbed repeatedly in the stomach, and he’s bleeding, and Emma, she... she was pushed down the stairs by the guy... I... please send as many people as possible.” she struggled to say.

_**“Stay where you are, and don’t come out, police are on their way, and I need you to stay on hold, do not put down the call...”** _

“Y-yes...” she said, her heart beating fast.

She watched quietly, as Emma got up, and took the nearest item she could find, a heavy book, and swung it hard, hitting the man in the face, causing him to tumble back. Emma then takes off running, exiting through the back door. Sounds of her screams followed after.

_**“What was that?!”** _

“That- That was Emma! I... she escaped through the back door, the guy is chasing after her!”

_**“Stay where you are, and don’t come out...”** _

“I... I’m scared...” she cried, as she stood in the dark hiding.

_**“I know you are ma’am... but you have to keep yourself safe, do not-”** _

“I need to get back to Kyle, he... he’s bleeding!” she said, immediately running back to the direction where she had left Kyle. 

_**“Wait- Officers are coming, stay put there...”** _

“I... I can’t, my friend is bleeding in the woods, I have to check up on him...” she said, finally reaching the place where she left Kyle. However, when she shook him awake, he did not respond. “He... he’s not responding...” 

 _ **“Check his pulse if it is still beating”**_ the dispatcher instructed, and she followed immediately.

“I... I-It’s not...” she struggled to let out, realising that Kyle was already dead.

However, there was no time to shed tears, as she heard footsteps and the rustle of leaves approaching. “He’s... he’s coming back...” she said, as she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand, just feeling his presence approaching. She suddenly felt that she couldn’t breathe, Kyle, Shane and everyone are dead, Emma must be as well, as she no longer heard her screams. But she hoped that she had escaped.

There was a rustle of leaves from a distance, and because she had let the fear in, she fainted.

“Ma’am?! Ma’am!!” The dispatcher called for her, as she no longer responded.

**********

It had been months since the murder incident. Mara was the only one left alive, other than Emma, who had been missing up till now. She was so traumatised by the incident, that it left her disturbed and paranoid. Hence, causing her to go back to the psychiatrist. 

At first, some of the policemen placed her as a prime suspect, as she was found unconscious next to Kyle’s dead body, and the reason for her being the only one left alive, next was her psychiatric record, as she was being treated for depression. But as the investigation progressed, the evidence surfaced, the 911 call and the firm unchanging story she had repeatedly told, they were finally convinced that she had nothing to do with the murder.

The evidence was the camera she had installed at her garage door, that faced the house where the incident happened. The assailant was seen committing his acts of murder, unfortunately, his face wasn’t shown. 

The authorities asked her to describe the murderer, much to her chagrin, and theirs, she couldn’t do a proper description of the man and only give a general illustration of how he looked like, which wasn’t much of a help. But she knew, that once she sees him, she could definitely recognise him.

After the murder incident, Her father had to come all the way from Washington D.C., just to check on how she was doing and asked her to quickly move out from her old house, afraid that the killer will come back for his daughter. She left her old residence and went to live in town. She missed her old, small yet cosy house in the outskirts of the town. But it no longer felt safe and homey.

 

 

 

  


 

 

 

Now she lived in an apartment in town, with a bigger space of course, but the peace she had at her old house would never compare to her brand new abode. She could no longer play the cello or the piano as loud as she could, nor can she just cook anything, as the smell will travel upstairs. There were rules and restrictions now.

“Mara?” a voice called her out of her reverie, she turned to find her boss, knocking on her cubicle. “The detectives are looking for you...”

“Oh...” was her only reply. She got up from her seat, and out of her cubicle, and slowly walked towards the meeting room. 

Smiling weakly, she found two familiar faces waiting for her; Detective Marple and Detective Bishop, and they were the ones who helped her proved her innocence, after the murder.

“Good Morning Sirs, what can I help you with?” she asked, as she sat down on the opposite side of the table.

“We have a good news!” Marple began.

Mara leant in, eager to find out what is the ‘good news’ they have.

“Emma has been found...” Bishop smiled, but it quickly faded. “But she isn’t well...”

**********

Mara waited at the visitor’s area quietly. When Mr and Mrs Ward saw her, they greeted her cordially, and after a while, Mrs Ward ended up crying, whilst telling her that Emma was no longer normal and was suffering from PTSD. 

She entered the room to find Emma, sitting up against the bed frame, looking out the window. The hospital injected her with a calming drug, in order for her not to act violently. 

Emma turned to see who entered the room and smiled weakly upon seeing Mara, which was quite unexpected coming from an overstressed patient, who refused to respond to anything.

“Emma, I made you something...” was the first thing she said and pulled the bed’s table open. She then opened the paper bag and lifted the lid of the Tupperware, emitting a delicious smell. “Shepard’s pie...” 

She then handed Emma the fork, and to Mrs Ward’s surprise, her daughter started eating. Earlier back, Mara learned that food was a way to reconnect with an old friend. At first, she didn’t know it would work with Emma, but seeing her now means that ‘saying’ was true.

“H-How did you?” Mrs Ward’s mouth hung agape and looked at Mara as if she performed a miracle.

Mara smiled and said. “It’s your daughter’s favourite Ma’am...” she said, as she pulled a chair, on the side, and sat opposite Mrs Ward. 

Emma teared up a bit as she ate, she was glad that Mara remembered her favourite food, most of all, she was glad that she was alive and well when most of her friends were murdered. 

Food plays a significant role between the both of them, most of her fond memories revolved around food, and the shared meals with friends and loved ones. 

It offered her comfort, as it took her back to the time before the incident, to a time when everything was happy, it took her back to the place where she felt safe and secure, and that was one thing the driver can never take away from her. 

Emma smiled her way gratefully, and nodded, a way of saying thank you. 

**********

After visitation hours was over. Mrs Ward, talked to Mara privately and asked her to stay a little longer next time, and visit Emma a little more frequently, as it might help with her recovery.

And so Mara did what Mrs Ward had asked her to, willingly. Visiting twice or thrice a week, whenever her schedule permits her to do so. Until one day, Emma was finally released from the hospital and will continue her treatment at home.

 She still visited her weekly, as the Ward mansion was just a half an hour's drive from the town. As Emma began to recover, and think straight, the more she remembered, and the more it became painful for her to recollect the incident. 

When the police asked her what happened that day, Mara watched her cry  as the two detectives arrived at the mansion to interview her about the incident. 

She could empathise with Emma, after all, she went through the same thing when the authorities asked her to narrate the story to prove her innocence. It was painful, and it gave her nightmares as well just recalling the carnage.

 _“ **Wait... you said that person ‘loved’ you?”** _ Detective Bishop asked, catching the attention of both Detective  Marple, and Mara, looking at Emma expectantly. That sounded to be a little disturbing. 

“Yeah... he loves me...”

“Is that why he didn’t kill you?” Detective Marple said as he continued taking notes. 

“I think he was trying to create me. Build something out of despair.”

“Did he hurt you?” Detective Bishop asked, and all their brows furrowed, hoping that she would answer ‘No’.

“Yes... at times, he got carried away...”

“Like those scars?” 

“Yes... like those scars” Emma looked down sadly, as she ran her fingers along the scar on her arm. She then continued narrating, and Mara couldn’t help but feel disturbed with the details. 

After the interview, she had left together with the detectives, still disturbed with the details she had heard, she was unable to drive, therefore Detective Marple offered to drive her back to town, and Detective Bishop followed from behind in a convoy, with their own vehicle. 

“Thank you, sir... For sending me back” Mara smiled at the handsome detective, he was old yet still good looking for his age, he was a widow with two sons and a daughter. He spent most of his time at work, especially that his children are away. 

“Don’t mention it, it’s just a small thing...” he smiled. “I used to do the same for my children...”

“Children? how many do you have?” she asked curiously.

“Two boys, one girl, both are deployed in Iraq right now, blue berets...”

“Oh, they’re UN peacekeepers?”

“Yes...” he said proudly, taking out a picture of his family, as the car stopped in front of the red light, and the pedestrians crossed the street. The picture was him and his children, wearing the UN peacekeeping uniform during the ceremony. “How about you? any siblings?”

However, before she could answer, a blood-curling scream was heard outside, startling her. She gasps, and almost jumped out of her seat. Both of them turned their heads to the sound’s direction and much to their relief, it was just a girl and her beau who was trying to chase her down the street, whilst laughing and messing around. The beau then catches his girl, and they both laugh.

Sweat beaded her forehead, as the sound of the scream had taken her back to the time when the murder occurred. She remembered the dead bodies that bathed in blood, and the blood-curdling screams of Emma, as the maniac chased her down the dark woods.

“Mara... are you alright?” Marple reaches for her and shook her by the shoulder, jolting her out of her reverie.

She almost jumped out of her seat again, when Marple shook her shoulder. “I... I’m sorry...” she gasped, and sighed in relief upon realising it was just the detective. 

“It’s going to be alright...” he says, well aware of what Mara was going through. The incident was almost a year ago, however, the trauma was still there. After all, witnessing such a horrifying incident isn’t something easy to move on from. “

He then squeezes her hand and gave her a reassuring smile, which caused her to return the smile back. 

“I’m sorry...” she apologised once again. “I wish I could just forget what happened, and erase those... but I couldn’t do it, it’s not that fast, nor it is easy...”

“Don’t be, I know how it feels... it’s not easy” he says and looks away, his expression turned sad which did not escape her,and this made her curious. She then began asking herself; What did he mean by he ‘knew’ how it felt? Did he witness something similar before? Maybe he did because he’s a cop after all, but then, it felt like there was something more to his words. However, she stopped herself from asking, knowing that it may possibly offend Detective Marple.

“We’re here...” he says turning to her with a smile, as he parks the car in front of the faculty’s building. 

They both alighted from the car, and he hands her back her car keys. Detective Bishop parks the car behind, trying not to block the driveway of the building, and waited for his partner. 

“Take care of yourself!” he waves a Mara, before heading to their own car.

“Thanks, sir! You too!” she waves back at them, as he enters the passenger side. Detective Bishop waves at her, and she waves back before they drove off from the vicinity

_************** _

Mara got up from her bed groggily as she pushed the ‘snooze’ button on her alarm clock. She hadn’t slept properly for almost one week, due to the things she had heard at the Ward mansion. Her next appointment with her psychiatrist isn’t due till tomorrow. Therefore, she has to hold on for a while, on her own, mentally, until her next visit.  She then prepared herself to go to work, and started doing her daily routines; bathe, brush-her-teeth and groom herself. 

After bathing, and brushing her teeth, she got dressed and started putting on her makeup, dabbing the concealer repeatedly, hiding her dark under eye circles. Once she was done, she headed outside her room, and grabbed her car keys on the fishbowl that was on the console table, and drove to work.

On her way to work, she stopped by a cafe where she always bought her coffee and a bagel. As she entered the door, she bumped into a man, who almost spilt coffee on her.

“I’m sorry...” he says, apologetically, before walking off to a different direction. 

Mara’s mouth hung agape and her eyes widened, upon seeing the man’s face. He was none other than the man who committed the murder that night, and he was back in town, roaming free, and even buying coffee. 

Was he coming back for Emma? or was he out to get another victim? No... she secretly hoped not, but the possibilities were so strong, that she knew she had to report this to the cops.

**********

Mara ran up towards the Police headquarters, the sound of her heels echoing against the tiled floor. She looked around confused, not knowing where to head first.

“Excuse me, Ma’am?” the desk sergeant called her attention, his expression looked as worried as her, but he was sure, she was there to report a crime.

“I... I’m Mara Startling, Is there a possibility if I could speak to Detective Marple or Detective Bishop?”

The desk sergeant nodded, and led her to a long hallway, full of rooms. She sat quietly  and waited at the grey coloured waiting room before Detective Bishop finally turned up.

Bishop greeted her politely and then sat down on the opposite side of the table. “You wanted to see me Mara?” he asked, worry furrowed his brows. He knew she wouldn’t just come to the Police headquarters out of nowhere if there was nothing wrong.

“Yes... I saw him!” she began. “The man who abducted Emma months ago! I saw him in town today!” she declared, and Bishop’s eyes widened at the new information.

“Where did you see him?! Can you describe him? Are you willing to do a facial composite?” Tom encouraged.

“I... can’t, I’m bad at describing Tom... I mean, you know we tried constructing his face back then, and we couldn’t turn up with anything,” she said, referring to the past investigation that was done. “But I know, when I see him again, I will take a snap of him for you,” she added, wanting to smack herself, realising that she should have done that earlier, but she let the fear in, therefore she was distracted.

“Or we can try this... what’s the name of the coffee shop you saw him in? we could try to spot him using the hidden cameras” he suggested, which was actually a very good idea. 

“The one near the University, ‘Cup o’ Joe’” she said.

**********

Mara barely slept that night. She lay awake thinking about the man, turning it over and over in her head. That maniac needed to be caught soon, if not, he’d get to Emma soon, or worst, find another victim. A few months back, her psychiatrist had informed her that he would be transferring her care to another doctor, as he was taking up another position, which requires him to transfer to another area. At first, of course, Mara was terrified, especially when she already learned to trust her psychiatrist. But her Doctor had assured her that his colleague was a professional one, was good as him, and was leaving her in good hands. He would just need her to give him his record, and re-tell the story to him all over again.

Ever since yesterday, she couldn’t think of anyone else. Excited to tell this new doctor what she had found out. She couldn’t deny that there was a part of her that finds the idea of having a new doctor, exciting! 

“Good Morning Courtney” Mara greeted the desk nurse, as she approached her counter. 

“Good Morning Mara!” she greets back gleefully as if she was over the rainbow. 

“You’re very happy today? won the lottery?” she teased, causing Courtney to laugh. 

“No, unfortunately not... but there are other things that can make you happy other than winning the lottery!” Courtney exclaimed.

“And what could that be?” she replied, deciding to indulge her. 

“Such as a new dashing doctor to work for! You should see him, Mara! He’ll make your panties drop!” 

Mara laughed, thinking she was exaggerating. “I wouldn’t want that to happen... good thing I’m wearing pants...” she played along causing Courtney to laugh. 

“Maybe your jaw would drop...” Courtney winked. “He’ll be ready to see you in a while, did you bring your records with you?”

“Ah, yes of course!”

“Good... We could do the patient record transfer easier then.”

“What a strange name though...” Mara said, glancing at the name card that was stacked altogether above the counter. It was the new doctor’s name card.

“He’s also a forensic psychiatrist for the FBI, so you’re definitely in good hands!” Courtney said and as much as Mara hated to admit it, but she was already was impressed despite not seeing the doctor yet. 

“His name is hard to pronounce, though... can you pronounce it?” Mara said innocently, causing Courtney to laugh. 

“No... just call him Dr. Wolfe...”

Suddenly, the door of the  doctor’s office opened. The patient walked out, and headed to the counter to retrieve his refill of medications, and paid for it.

“See you!” Courtney said as the patient gave a small wave, and then smiled at Mara out of courtesy before walking away. “You’re next!” she said to Mara in a sing-song way. She couldn’t wait for her to see the new doctor and share the same opinion on how handsome he is.

The doctor then walked out of the door, and said “Courtney...” he looks at his assistant expectantly.

“Ah yes... of course, Dr.Wolfe this is Mara Sabrina Sterling, Dr. Abner’s previous patient.” Courtney introduced.

Mara turned around to face and greet the doctor, her eyes widened and her mouth hung agape upon seeing who her new doctor was.

 

 

 

  


 

 

 

“Mara, this is Dr. Wolfe, your new psychiatrist” Courtney said to Mara. “See! I told you he’s handsome!” she said, seeing Mara’s expression and mistaking it to be a sudden strong ‘attraction’ for the new doctor.

It was that moment that Mara wanted to flee and hide. Her new doctor was none other than the maniac who murdered her friends and abducted Emma.

“Miss Sterling?” He smiled, as he stretched out his hand for a handshake.

She hesitated for a moment, but reluctantly shook his hand after a while, in order not to make things awkward.

“Shall we?” he said, opening the door, asking her to come in first.

She gulped and hesitated after a while before Dr.Wolfe called her out of her reverie. 

“Don’t worry I don’t bite!” his mouth curved into a handsome grin, as Courtney giggled, while Mara nodded awkwardly before entering the room.

 

 **A/N:** I might do some soft editing because I might have made some grammatical errors. 

_**Just some other notes:** _

-Mara works as a faculty staff in the same University Emma studies at.

-Dr. Wolfe doesn’t know who Mara is yet, I’m leaving that for the next part

\- I chose Tom Hiddleston as the other support character because of his performance in the ‘Night Manager’ and Jeffrey Dean Morgan because they have these strong look in them.


End file.
